Olympus SP-820UZ vs Pentax K-3

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Olympus SP-820UZ vs Pentax K-3, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a substantial difference among the sensor resolutions of the SP-820UZ (14MP) and K-3 (24MP) and the SP-820UZ (1/2.3") and K-3 (APS-C) use different sensor dimensions.

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The SP-820UZ was introduced 19 months earlier than the K-3 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SP-820UZ being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving in to a detailed comparison, below is a quick overview of how the SP-820UZ grades versus the K-3 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ & Pentax K-3. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery & Pentax K-3 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SP-820UZ features outside measurements of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") with a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-3 has dimensions of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") and a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SP-820UZ vs Pentax K-3 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the SP-820UZ compared to the K-3.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the SP-820UZ and K-3 is 69 and 59 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to picture the difference in sensor measurements simply by researching a spec sheet. The graphic here should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the SP-820UZ and K-3.

Clearly, both of those cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SP-820UZ having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving bokeh harder and the Pentax K-3 will render more detail using its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images much more aggressively. The older SP-820UZ will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.